Grey-spotted Puffer (Takifugu alboplumbeus) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The grey-spotted puffer, better known as the grass puffer, is a small pufferfish of the coasts of Japan, Korea, and China. In early summer, crowds of them gather on pebble beaches at high tide to spawn right at the water's edge. It is not found in the wild in the US, and despite its small size it carries a potent toxin.

Appearance

Appearance: A small, rounded puffer up to about 6 in (15 cm) long. The back is dark green-brown sprinkled with small white dots, the belly is white, and there is a large dark blotch near the pectoral fin. Tiny prickles cover the back and belly.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Shallow coasts
Estuaries
Pebble and sandy beaches
Harbors
Range: Northwest Pacific: Japan, Korea, China (including Taiwan and Hong Kong), Vietnam, and the Philippines. It does not occur in North American waters.
Preferred conditions: Lives in coastal water shallower than about 66 ft (20 m), often in estuaries, and has been recorded briefly entering fresh water.

Behavior

Diet: Small bottom animals such as marine worms and small crustaceans.
Activity: Inflates into a ball when threatened and buries itself in sand at night. Anglers in Japan and Korea know it as a bait thief that nibbles hooks clean.

Life cycle

Breeding season: May–July (Japan and Korea)
Reproduction: Around new and full moons, males and females gather in groups on gentle pebble beaches and spawn together a few hours before high tide. The eggs end up high on the shore, where they are exposed to air when the tide goes out.
Incubation: The tiny eggs, under 1/25 in (1 mm) across, hatch in about 6 days at 70–72 °F (21–22 °C).

Cautions

Cautions: The internal organs and skin contain , a nerve poison that can kill people. It should never be eaten unless prepared by a licensed fugu chef.

Name and classification

About the name: Long known as Takifugu niphobles. A 2017 study of the original specimens showed it is the same species as Takifugu alboplumbeus, a name published earlier, in 1845, so the older name now takes priority.